Background: Parents of children with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses and/or medical complexity experience intense stress and pain soon after the birth and lifelong. Understanding parents’ experiences and coping strategies is the prerequisite to provide tailored support to families. Aim: To explore the experiences of parents of children with medical complexity (CMCs) during hospitalization in a Family-Centered Care (FCC) neonatal unit and after discharge. Design: Qualitative study. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were administered to the parents of children with medical complexity admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Modena between October 2016 and January 2024. The interview was developed based on three time points: birth, hospitalization, and discharge, focusing on parents’ experiences, emotions, and communication with healthcare professionals. The interviews were analyzed using the template analysis. Results: A total of 10 parents were interviewed. Four domains were identified, encompassing eight significant themes in the parents’ experiences and their communication with healthcare professionals. The relevant emotions included anxiety and fear for survival, fatigue, and guilt over the child’s suffering, alongside hope and trust that parents felt entitled to nurture. Relationships with professionals were characterized by expectations and frustrations; mothers and fathers had different perceptions and reactions to the situation they were facing. Conclusions: This qualitative study explores the experiences of parents of CMCs in a neonatal intensive care unit adopting FCC. From admission to discharge, parents’ emotions were influenced by the child’s unique clinical history. Active listening and the humane attitude of healthcare professionals were the aspects most appreciated by parents.

Background: Centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs) are increasingly used in neonatal care. CICCs have garnered attention and adoption owing to their advantageous features. Therefore, achieving clinical competence in ultrasound-guided CICC insertion in term and preterm infants is of paramount importance for neonatologists. A safe clinical training program should include theoretical teaching and clinical practice, simulation and supervised CICC insertions. Methods: We planned a training program for neonatologists for ultrasound-guided CICCs placement at our level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Modena, Italy. In this single-centre prospective observational study, we present the preliminary results of a 12-month training period. Two paediatric anaesthesiologists participated as trainers, and a multidisciplinary team was established for continuing education, consisting of neonatologists, nurses, and anaesthesiologists. We detail the features of our training program and present the modalities of CICC placement in newborns. Results: The success rate of procedures was 100%. In 80.5% of cases, the insertion was obtained at the first ultrasound-guided venipuncture. No procedure-related complications occurred in neonates (median gestational age 36 weeks, IQR 26–40; median birth weight 1200 g, IQR 622–2930). Three of the six neonatologists (50%) who participated in the clinical training program have achieved good clinical competence. One of them has acquired the necessary skills to in turn supervise other colleagues. Conclusions: Our ongoing clinical training program was safe and effective. Conducting the program within the NICU contributes to the implementation of medical and nursing skills of the entire staff.

Background: Perinatal Palliative Care (PPC) is a specialized approach designed to support families facing a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis of a life-limiting or life-threatening condition. Despite the publication of authoritative international guidelines, a significant translational gap persists between aspirational recommendations and consistent, reproducible clinical practice. Structured and operational frameworks may contribute to PPC implementation in real-world clinical settings. This Perspective aims to provide a practical, operational instrument for PPC, derived from and aligned with international guidelines, that translates their principles into concrete clinical steps. Methods: We developed and implemented a structured PPC protocol at our tertiary academic center through a multidisciplinary review of existing PPC guidelines and an iterative internal institutional consensus process informed by clinical experience and feedback from parents and healthcare providers; this is a descriptive clinical Perspective rather than a formal research study. Results: The “Super Micky” PPC protocol provides a comprehensive family-centered framework incorporating: (1) clear eligibility criteria for PPC, derived from international guidelines and Italian recommendations; (2) multidisciplinary assessment integrating neonatology, obstetrics, psychology, nursing, and social work; (3) clear, empathetic, and continuous communication integrated with family values and priorities; (4) development of a personalized Palliative Birth Plan co-constructed with the family and reassessed after birth in the light of the infant’s clinical course; (5) ongoing emotional and psychological support; and (6) structured support for the clinical team through regular debriefings and ethical discussions. The protocol defines specific actionable steps across the entire care continuum, from antenatal diagnosis through labor, birth, neonatal hospitalization, and bereavement. Challenges observed in our clinical experience included prognostic uncertainty, variability in protocol application across clinical teams, and moral distress among staff. Conclusions: The “Super Micky” protocol is intended to translate the principles of family-centered care into a structured, practical instrument, derived from international guidelines, that other centers may adapt into routine perinatal practice; prospective evaluation of its feasibility, adherence, and family and staff outcomes is needed to confirm its impact. Its success depends on continuous team engagement, transparent communication with families, and robust support systems for healthcare professionals.